Newton Planned Parenthood to close
The Newton Planned Parenthood will be closing its doors and consolidating with the Ankeny clinic effective July 19, announced Planned Parenthood of the Heartland on Wednesday.
Marsha Dorhout, Planned Parenthood’s marketing and communication director said Wednesday that the Newton clinic’s last day of operation will be July 18. When asked during a phone interview if funding was a factor in the office’s closure, Dorhout said it was “a combination of everything. We had to do a deep dive to do what’s best for our patients.”
She said the primary factor was consistency of care.
“Patients expect health care providers to be open 24/7, and we unfortunately can’t do that at the Newton location,” Dorhout said. “We have to decide how we can provide consistent services to our patients.”
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland CEO Jill June echoed Dorhout’s comments in a written statement Wednesday.
“Consolidating the smaller Newton facility with Ankeny will give patients the advantages of expanded services and hours,” she said. “Electronic health records at all of our health centers allows patients the option to visit us at Ankeny or any of our four Central Iowa locations. Our patients are our number one concern. We’re here and dedicated to providing access to the affordable quality health care that is relied on by tens of thousands of Iowans each year.”
Dorhout said all patients seen in Newton were notified of the clinic’s closure prior to Wednesday’s announcement.
According to organization officials, two workers at the Newton clinic could potentially lose their jobs, but Dorhout said Planned Parenthood is still attempting to find positions for the employees elsewhere in the organization.
The closure of Newton’s Planned Parenthood comes during the midst of a national debate regarding the federal funding of the health and reproductive clinics, but Dorhout said the Newton closure was not related to the controversy. Two other Planned Parenthoods in Storm Lake and Knoxville have closed their doors in Iowa in recent months.
Planned Parenthood provides cancer screenings, Pap tests, birth control, colposcopies, male health screenings, STI testing and treatment, sexual assault exams, abortion, adoption, and prenatal care, among other services.
Mike Mendenhall can be contacted at (641) 792-3121 ext. 422 or via email at mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com.